Page 29 - 23 November 2012

Red Cell Distance Challenge Championship-G1
All About lARRy
“John and his team deserve a lot of credit,” Heath said. “He has held my hand through
all of this. At the beginning of the season,
he said we can win the Distance Challenge Championship with this horse. I believed him. It’s been an incredible run.”
Heath owns a yearling half-brother to All About Larry. Needless to say, she has high expectations for the youngster. “I only hope he can follow in his brother’s footsteps,” she said.
All About Larry is out of the First Down Dash mare Come Hell Or Hiwater, who
is also the dam of A Splash Of Hell. That two-time stakes winner was named the West/ Southwest Hi-Point Aged Gelding of 2010 and 2011 and was the 2008 West/Southwest Hi-Point 3-Year-Old Colt. A Splash Of Hell, like his brother All About Larry, also set a track record, running 440 yards in :21.024 at Yavapai Downs in 2010.
De Passem Okey (Okey Dokey Dale- Impassable Gal TB), winner of the 2010 Distance Challenge Championship, is a two-time defending AQHA Champion Distance Horse for owner Steve Holt and trainer Rodney Reed. He broke a step slow in this year’s renewal under G.R. Carter Jr. but split horses bravely in the stretch to secure the place spot. It was only the second loss on the season from seven starts for De Passem Okey, who toted the largest bankroll of more than $400,000 into the distance test.
Emperor Valerian (Heza Fast Dash-Sheez Lil Val) held third in the colors of Salvador
Pimienta for trainer Kasey Willis. Ridden by Cody Jensen, Emperor Valerian pressured All About
Larry early in the race, but lacked the necessary response to run with the winner through the lane and was unable to fend off De Passem Okey for runner-up honors.
Rounding out the order of finish behind the top three in the Red Cell Distance Challenge Championship were
Call Her Hero (Valiant Hero-Shady Caller TB), the only filly in the race, Yin Your Eyes (Eye Yin You-Apollo Snowbound), Bok Man (Boknaai-One Fine Devon TB), Hes A Real Stone (SC Chiseled In Stone- Snow Candash), and JW A Royal Flirt (GW A Royal Chick-Office Wench TB).
All About Larry and Salvador Martinez set a track record when winning the $125,000 Grade 1 Red Cell Distance Challenge by 5 1/4-lengths.
Distance specialist All About Larry is all about winning. The 5-year-old gelded son of Heza Motor Scooter proved that once
again in crushing a competitive field in
the $125,000 Red Cell Distance Challenge Championship-G1 Oct. 27 at Prairie Meadows. His victory may have signaled a changing of the guard of sorts, as the sport’s premier 870-yard runner De Passem Okey finished in All About Larry’s wake following a slow beginning.
Ridden by Salvador Martinez, All About Larry justified his odds-on favoritism. He broke sharply, shrugged off an early chal- lenge from Emperor Valerian and widened his advantage through the lane. He crossed the wire a commanding 5 1⁄4 lengths clear of De Passem Okey, covering the 870 yards in new track record time of :44.581, earning a speed index of 109. It was the third track record at the distance for All About Larry, who also set new standards at Lone Star Park (:44.206) and at Turf Paradise (:44.304).
In the winner’s circle following her charge’s impressive romp, owner Diane Heath beamed with pride.
“This feeling is just incredible,” Heath shared. “It’s always been a dream of mine to
have an 870 horse. He’s such a well-behaved, focused horse. He has proven he can keep his mind on business. He knows his job. He really started to develop when we got him stretched out to 870. I’m hoping we’re just getting started with this horse.
“He was gangly as a 2-year- old,” she added. “He took a little while to mature, so we waited
to start him. He has definitely delivered. He’s sound, and I have high hopes to keep going on with him. His success is beyond my wildest dreams.”
Bred by in Arizona by Las
Vegas Ranch, All About Larry is
trained by John Stinebaugh, who
has orchestrated a championship
season for Heath’s colorbearer.
All About Larry has now won six
of eight starts this year, includ-
ing the Master Salls Handicap by 9 3⁄4 lengths
at Ruidoso Downs, the Red Cell Lone Star Distance Challenge by nine lengths at Lone Star Park and the Sunray Park Marathon Handicap at Sunray Park. The $60,000 winner’s share from the Red Cell Distance Challenge Championship lifts his career bankroll to $158,780.
Prairie Meadows $125,000 • 870 yards :44.581 • si 109 • Ntr
Heza Fast Man
Heza Motor Scooter
Hot Tin Lizzie
ALL ABOUT LARRY, ’07-g.
Shoot Yeah
Come Hell Or Hiwater
All Hell Is Loose
SPEEDHORSE, November 23, 2012 27